


Sunflower

by violetnudewoman



Category: Dorohedoro
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Love Confessions, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25229821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetnudewoman/pseuds/violetnudewoman
Summary: The time had come. Time for Thirteen to be honest - especially with her.
Kudos: 20





	Sunflower

**Author's Note:**

> I brought Thirteen some love because he deserves it.

**Sunflower**

_violetnudewoman_

-

Thirteen drank his countless can of beer, watching the two friends across the table, sitting close together, exchanging accomplices' smiles and slightly drunken laughs as they held their fingers together in a loving gesture. Since things settled down in Hole, Nikaido and Kaiman's relationship has changed drastically - now the two were closer than ever and every day Thirteen was forced to accept that he had lost his longtime crush to a weird guy who practically arrived yesterday in the city, coming from the absolute nothingness.

Of course it was difficult and painful. Before her, Thirteen had never been deeply interested in anyone - maybe his peculiar appearance and chronic smoking were major factors that helped to keep girls away from him. For a while, he thought that all the girls were nothing but dirty bitches interested in money and appearances. 

But Nikaido was different. Unlike all absolutely the girls in Hole - even the ones he haven't even met. For him, they didn't matter at all. For him, none of them had the light she emanated through her dimpled smile and gentle manners. She always smiled at him - nothing spoiled his day when he got on Hungry Bug and was greeted by her sweet "good morning/good afternoon".

No girl smiled at him until she appeared in his life.

And now... It was hard to see her smiling to another guy.

It was Nikaido's birthday - he and the guys organized a more intimate celebration with the restaurant closed. He decided to buy her a present. For him, it wasn't much compared to the many things he wanted to give her - including the whole world.

Thirteen felt a sting in his heart as his free hand tightened his pants pocket. He wondered if it was _still worth it_.

He got up from the table abruptly. "Hey, where you going?" He heard someone ask - probably Tetsujo, who was at his side. It didn't matter. He just leave without saying anything.

"Huh? What happened? He looks pissed", Risu wanted to know, looking back and watching Thirteen come out and slam the door behind him.

"Nah. He's always pissed", Vaux replied with a shrug. "He just needs to smoke."

"I don't think so", Nikaido pondered. "He's a little weird since early... Distant, I guess."

"He's always weird", Kaiman said with a laugh. "Leave him alone. Soon he'll be back."

-

Long minutes passed and Thirteen had not returned.

"Excuse me guys", Nikaido asked before leaving the table and heading for the door. "I'll see is everything's ok with him."

"Oh come on", Kaiman whined, stuffing two gyozas in his mouth. "He always gets stupid when he's drunk, didn't you see how much beer he was drinking?"

"I'm just gonna see if he's okay", she replied decidedly. "I'll be right back."

Passing through the door, the blonde looked to the side and found Thirteen sitting on the sidewalk, with a can of beer in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. Head down. Her eyes noticed the empty cigarette pack on the floor. "Thirteen? You all right?"

He immediately raised his head when he heard his favorite voice. "Ah, Nikaido! Yeah... I-I'm fine... It's just..."

She raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "No, you're not. You're not like that." Then she immediately sat down next to him. "Come on. Tell me what's goin' on."

Thirteen took a heavy inhale on his cigarette before sighing heavily along with the smoke. "It's your birthday. I don't wanna ruin your night."

"Please tell me", Nikaido asked, placing a hand on his tense shoulder. He startled slightly at her touch. "I won't be able to be in peace at my little party if the creator can't have fun."

The time had come. Time for Thirteen to be honest, especially with her. He turned to her; he felt even more in love than ever when he saw her so close.

"You look so beautiful tonight", he managed to say, despite seeing her every day in the same uniform - that night was no different. Nikaido laughed baffled. "No, really! I mean, you are so beautiful every day, you know that."

"Yeah, every day you remind me of that", she joked, pinching his cheek. Immediately, Thirteen's face flushed.

"Yes. Because I bet Kaiman doesn't do that."

The blonde blinked at the comment. "Of course he does! He just ... He's just more shy to do it in public," she laughed again, embarrassed.

She gradually stopped laughing until an uncomfortable silence filled that space. Thirteen inhaled smoke for the countless time that night.

"You know why I keep tellin' ya these things, right?"

"I know."

"Then why... Why _him?"_

The blonde was quiet for a minute before answering. "I don't think I can answer that. Kaiman and my past appeared together, things happened in a very unexpected and crazy way and... Suddenly, I couldn't deal with the fact that our friendship changed. When I realized, I... You know..."

"I know. I understand", he sighed. "But I didn't want to."

"Thirteen", Nikaido started, turning to him. "I really appreciate your affection. So much that I was never able to scold you for your flirtation attempts because I think they're really cute", she laughed softly. He ended up laughing too. "But... I'm afraid I can't respond to your feelings. I would be lying to you and disrespecting you if I did that."

Silence again. By this time, Thirteen was already finishing his last cigarette, throwing the end on the empty street.

"Yeah. I already expected you to tell me that. You're honest, and it's one of the things I love about you... Well, besides so many other things", Thirteen concluded in a plaintive tone. The sting in his heart was still there, bothering him, but he no longer cared.

Nikaido thanked him. "You're a sweet guy, Thirteen. I'm sure someone special is gonna cross your way."

"Like you? No way", he replied. "There's no girl more perfect than you, Nikaido."

"You know very well that _I'm not perfect_ at all."

"I know", he said, taking one of her hands. It looked so fragile close to his, despite the calluses, the prominent cuticles and the harshness caused by the routine in the restaurant's kitchen. Still, so beautiful. "You will always be my _almost_ perfect girl. And I have no choice but to wish, from the bottom of my shitty heart, your happiness", he added, taking a small velvet box from his pocket and placing it in her tiny palm.

"Oh, Thirteen..."

"Happy birthday, Nikaido. It's not much, but it's wholehearted. I hope you like it."

Absolutely surprised, she soon opened the box - inside, a golden hairclip in a sunflower shape, with the petals studded with tiny bright yellow gems.

"Thirteen... First the surprise party, and now this... I-I don't really deserve-"

"Of course you deserve it! If I could, I would give you brighter stars than those shiny pebbles there", he laughed in love, watching her infatuated expression. "For some reason this flower reminds me of the sun, and your smile reminds me of the warmth of the sun, and... And you're warm and bright like the sun. Oh, and you're beautiful just like this flower. Then I decided to give you this. Here, let me put it for you..."

And Thirteen, feeling the sting in his heart gradually leave him alone at that moment, took the clip and pushed aside a generous lock of silky strands, clumsily pinning it behind her ear. His face was very close to hers, and for a moment he felt a little dizzy with the sweet peach smell of her hair.

"So sweet... Thank you so much! Really. I will never forget that", Nikaido thanked, immediately taking him in a strong hug. Thirteen had never been hugged by a girl before. Not even for her. "You're a great friend, and I am so grateful for your presence in my life."

He couldn't find words. He just hugged her back in an awkward way, as if he didn't want to touch her indecently - after all, she wasn't like all the girls in Hole.

"You know," Thirteen said, as soon as they moved away from each other. "I will never forget you, and for now it will still be so fucking hard to see you with that lizard ass. But I promise that I will do my best to forget you. And if I can't... I will keep waiting for you."

"Time is wise. I know that better than anyone", Nikaido laughed. "Let time take care of this", and she approached Thirteen's cheek, leaving a peck there. His heart skipped a beat. "Live your life."

-

The door being opened suddenly by Kaiman interrupted the moment. "Oi Nikaido! What's goin' on with him?"

"I'm fine, lizard ass", Thirteen replied grumpily, rising from the sidewalk. "I just didn't want to see your ugly face next to Nikaido for a long time and I came here to take some fresh air."

"Hah?! Wanna die?! You fill your dumb ass with beer and then act like a asshole with everyone! What the fuck?!" Kaiman was already clenching his fists. He was probably drunk too.

"Ok ok, you two, go back inside and please try not to ruin my night", the blonde asked, rolling her blue eyes.

The two continued exchanging silly curses as they returned to the table where they were. As soon as they sat down, Thirteen looked to the side and saw Nikaido looking at herself in the window's reflection, adjusting the golden clip. She smiled as she watched the accessory whimsically adorning her hair.

He picked up another can of beer. It was inevitable not to smile at that scene. The sting in his heart was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> I find his feelings for her absolutely cute and legit. I don't remember exactly if in the manga he gives up on her, but um I don't know... I wanted to write something about it without shipping them. And that's what happened. Tell me what you guys think. ;)
> 
> [Feel free to DM me on Twitter.](https://www.twitter.com/naoehanapaula) ❤️


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